Green Tips for Cars: Don’t Get Dragged Down

A truly green lifestyle is made up of lots of little decisions every day. And often, it’s these tiny actions that add up to big results. You don’t need big changes to realize dramatic results. You can start small with your current car by increasing fuel efficiency. Today’s Green Tip for your car is all about aerodynamics — an area where small changes really do make a big difference.

Don’t get dragged down. Aerodynamics is about more than a sleek, sexy exterior. At highway speeds, up to 50% of engine power is used to combat the effect of aerodynamics. That leaves a lot of room for improvement.

The most obvious fixes are to remove any barriers such as luggage/surf racks when you’re not using them.

Another drag on fuel efficiency is open windows. While negligible at lower speeds, at higher speeds the drag is sufficient to impact gas mileage. Air conditioners will likewise pull down your MPG. Consider just cracking a window and using the air vents when driving at higher speeds.